Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life

Typee is Melville's first book, a travel narrative shaped as an adventure story. It follows a young sailor who, weary of harsh conditions aboard a whaling ship, deserts with a companion on an island in the Marquesas. They make their way into a hidden valley inhabited by the Typee people.

The narrator describes their customs, daily life and hospitality, while remaining uneasy about his own position among them. The book was popular, and it also criticises the effects of missionaries and colonial powers in the Pacific. Its mix of memory and invention remains much discussed.